Keoki’s Lau Lau, of Honolulu, Hawaii, is recalling approximately 400 pounds of the following ready-to-eat pork products:

12-ounce tubs of “Keoki’s Kalua Brand Pork”

48-ounce tubs of “Keoki’s Kalua Brand Pork”

The recall has been designated a Class I by the FSIS, which means this is a health hazard situation in which there is a reasonable probability that use of the recalled product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

The recalled ready-to-eat pork bears the establishment number “EST. 12429″ inside the USDA mark of inspection and also bears batch numbers 546 and 552. The products were produced on May 24 and 25, 2012, and were distributed to retail establishments in Hawaii.

The problem was discovered by Keoki’s Lau Lau during follow-up testing conducted after a positive result was revealed during a routine FSIS monitoring sample. FSIS and the company have not received any reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products. Jamie Kema, Office Manager, at Keoki’s Lau Lau, can be reached at 1.808.832.4231.

We’ve long cautioned that the Listeria pathogen thrives in cold environments, such as refrigerators, and also has a fairly long incubation period—up to 70 days. Listeria also well tolerates heat and dry temperatures, adding further challenges to the pathogen’s eradication and length to expected reporting time frames.

The Listeria monocytogenes pathogen can lead to the listeriosis infection, which is a potentially fatal infection that can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea, and nausea, especially in those with weakened immune systems, infants, and the elderly. Vulnerable populations, such as the developing fetus, can suffer serious central nervous system problems.

Listeria infection can prompt premature births, or the death of the fetus via miscarriages and stillbirths. Pregnant women are 20 times likelier to become infected. Listeriosis can also lead to hearing loss or brain damage in newborns, and can prompt neurological effects and cardio respiratory failure in adults.

Consumers with food safety questions can “Ask Karen,” the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. “Ask Karen” live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1.888.MPHotline (1.888.674.6854), is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.